High blood pressure leads to hypertension headaches. Most of the time, high blood pressure doesn’t cause symptoms. However, if it gets extremely high, you may suffer from a headache or experience other symptoms. This type of headache is a sign of a hypertensive crisis, which needs medical attention.
A hypertension headache is a headache that occurs when your blood pressure is extremely high. People usually describe it as a severe, sharp pain on both sides of the head. This happens when your blood pressure is 180/120 millimetres of mercury or higher. Below 120/80 mmHg is normal. A GP Glenroy at Magnus Medical can measure your blood pressure to see if it’s too high. Measuring it is the only way to know what it is. Hypertension doesn’t cause symptoms until it’s extremely high. The name for very high blood pressure with symptoms is a hypertensive emergency.
Hypertension headaches occur with a sudden increase in blood pressure. In rare cases, this may come from a rare tumor that releases excess adrenaline, preeclampsia during pregnancy or a rare brain condition. Most of the time, this type of headache is caused by a hypertensive crisis, which can be caused by:
If your blood pressure goes up too quickly, the blood vessels in your brain may have a hard time adjusting. This can cause swelling and irritation that can lead to a severe headache.
If you have a hypertension headache, you may experience the following symptoms:
Headaches from hypertension are often missed. These headaches tend to be felt at the back of your head, particularly when you get up in the morning. The pain may be dull or sharp and is caused by higher blood pressure. A hypertension headache is different from a normal headache in that it can last a long time after rest or medication.
What are the signs of hypertension? Light-headedness and dizziness are common signs of hypertension. Light-headedness and dizziness are often described as a feeling of unsteadiness, faintness or spinning, especially when standing up suddenly. These feelings will tend to come and go with the blood pressure levels.
Double or blurred vision is one of the most alarming symptoms of hypertension. This is usually due to damage or strain of the blood vessels in the eyes. Vision may appear distorted, hazy, or unfocused, affecting one or both eyes.
Shortness of breath is a concerning symptom of hypertension, often described as trouble breathing, fatigue, or chest tightness during mild activity or rest. It may worsen when you lie down or after exertion.
Chest pain or tightness feels like pressure, chest tightness or heaviness and sometimes spreads to the arms, neck or jaw in hypertension. It may be worse with stress or exercise.
In hypertension, an irregular heartbeat feels like pounding, fluttering or skipped beats in the chest. It may occur during exertion, stress or at rest and may be accompanied by fatigue or dizziness.
To relieve a headache caused by hypertension, you need to bring down your blood pressure. A general practitioner will lower it gradually. They do this to protect your heart, brain, and kidneys and ensure your organs are getting enough blood.
Do not consume any medicine without a doctor’s prescription or without checking your blood pressure. A professional healthcare provider will identify the root cause of your condition rather than just treating the symptoms.
You can prevent hypertension headaches with blood pressure management. Monitoring your blood pressure daily at home can help you be aware if your blood pressure is increasing. Unless high blood pressure is severe, you won’t notice symptoms. If you know your blood pressure is too high, your healthcare provider can suggest treatments. That way, you can avoid reaching a point where you’d start to notice symptoms like a headache. You can also help manage your blood pressure by making lifestyle changes. These include:
Conclusion
If you have Hypertension Headache, then you need to visit the doctors at Magnus Medical, the most trusted Glenroy Medical Centre. You will be given full treatment options as soon as your health condition has been assessed.
